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Available Expert - Gerald Stanley trial is underway in North Battleford

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Queen’s University criminal law expert Noah Weisbord is following and available to comment on Gerald Stanley’s murder trial. Gerald Stanley has pled not guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Colten Boushie.

“In 2012, Parliament overhauled Canada’s self-defence law,” Professor Weisbord explains. “The stated reason was for clarity and simplicity, but this reform had the effect of substantially expanding the availability of self-defence. In fact, Canada’s new law is arguably more permissive than Florida’s problematic ‘Stand Your Ground’ law.

Safeguards in Canada’s criminal justice system and legal culture might prevent the kinds of abuses seen in Florida and other U.S. jurisdictions with expansive self-defence laws. These safeguards are important, but they may not be enough under the pressures of Canada’s own climates of fear, or climates of fear to come. The Stanley case will test Canada’s self-defence innovation and the hopeful assumption that Canada’s criminal justice system is more virtuous than Florida’s.”

Noah Weisbord is a Visiting Professor at Queen’s Law and will be joining the faculty as an Associate Professor in May. His research focuses on the role of the criminal law in managing, reflecting or exacerbating intergroup conflict. Professor Weisbord's current project examines self-defence in Canadian criminal law from historical, comparative, and conceptual perspectives.

Please note he is available after 5 pm Wednesday, January 31 and all day Thursday, February 1.